INEC rejects judgment to allow use of temporary voter’s card, set to challenge decision

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has disclosed it will appeal against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which ordered it to allow two plaintiffs to vote with their Temporary Voter’s Cards, TVCs.

The commission through its chief Press Secretary to the Commission’s Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, on Thursday, stated that it has been served a copy of the judgement delivered on Thursday.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had on Thursday, ordered INEC to allow two Nigerians, Kofoworola Olusegun, and Wilson Allwel, to use their Temporary Voter Cards in the forthcoming governorship and state houses of assembly elections.

The duo had filed a suit with number FHC/ABJ/CS/180/2023 on February 8 for the court to compel INEC to allow them the use of the Temporary Voter Card in the absence of the Permanent Voter Cards.

The plaintiffs sought “a declaration that the plaintiff, having fulfilled all necessary legal requirements to register and having consequently been captured in its central database and manual, printed paper-based record or hard copy format of INEC’s maintained register of voters, the plaintiffs are entitled to vote using their TVC in the 2023 General Elections.”

While delivering the ruling, the court held that there was no portion of the law, both the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act that states that it is only PVCs that could be used, but that the law under Section 47 provided for a voter’s card.

“An order is made compelling the defendant to allow the plaintiffs to vote using their Temporary Voter Cards issued by the defendant, the plaintiffs having been duly captured in the National Register of Voters database.

“Having fulfilled all necessary legal requirements to register and having consequently been captured in INEC’s central database and manual, printed paper-based record or hard copy format,” Justice Egwuatu ruled.